Building a new kind of network

The only constant is change. Nobody knows this better than people who live and work in Australia’s regional and remote communities. Now these communities are on the cusp of a technological revolution.

Farmers are already able to use sensors to remotely track soil moisture and soil health, even on the biggest properties. Dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) technology is going to better assist farmers, enabling them to make smart decisions about how to use water, where to fertilise and when to move livestock or rotate crops. This IoT technology won’t just make farms smarter, but more sustainable and profitable.

Doctors and nurses will be able to connect using super-fast 5G connections to deliver care to patients in real-time, no matter where they are. Rather than travelling long distances for medical scans and a specialist diagnosis, patients and doctors will be able to use advanced robotics to get world-class healthcare even in small towns.

Thanks to wearable devices, augmented reality, and data analytics, classrooms will go from physical places that teachers and students travel to each week, to digital spaces where young people can get the support they need, when they need it. Students will be able to learn at times that work best for growing minds and bodies, while teachers will be able to provide content and guidance that is individualised based on needs.

These are some of the powerful changes that are coming to regional communities. And Telstra customers will continue to have access to the nation’s best mobile network to stream live sport, speak to loved ones around the world, and run their businesses, whether they are behind a desk or behind the controls of a combine harvester.

Tim O’Leary joined Telstra in 2011 as Chief Sustainability Officer. In this role he has executive responsibility for strategic community and reputational initiatives, corporate responsibility, Telstra’s environment strategy and employee sustainability. He is a Board Member of the Telstra Foundation and The Telstra Philippines Foundation. Prior to joining Telstra, Tim spent twenty years in senior Corporate Affairs, HR and Sustainability roles at the National Australia Bank (NAB) and Mobil Oil Australia.
Tim has a vested interest in sustainability as he wants his six young children to grow up in both a healthy environment and a prosperous community.